Roswell, a city located in southeast New Mexico, has a unique place in American history due to an intriguing event that occurred there in 1947. The history of Roswell is inextricably linked with unidentified flying objects (UFOs). The incident, commonly referred to as the Roswell UFO Incident, became one of the most famous and publicized UFO stories in the world. It happened when a local rancher discovered unidentifiable debris in his sheep pasture, which was later claimed by the military to be a crashed weather balloon, but many people believed it was the remains of an extraterrestrial spacecraft.
This incident forever embedded Roswell in popular culture and sparked a fascination with extraterrestrial life that continues to this day. It has significantly impacted the city’s tourism industry, attracting visitors from around the globe who are curious about the possibility of life beyond Earth. To acknowledge and embrace its unique history, in 2017, the city of Roswell erected a new city entrance sign. The “Welcome to Roswell” sign erected in 2017 not only greets visitors but also commemorates the city’s unique place in history. The sign, depicting a crashed UFO, reflects Roswell’s status as a hub for UFO enthusiasts and researchers.
